A Visit From St Nicholas
by chocolatequeen
Summary: On one very special Christmas Eve, the Christmas wishes of three people will be answered in a way they never imagined. Reunion fic
1. Chapter 1

The Doctor sighed when Martha went around the outside of the TARDIS again.

"But it's just a box," she muttered, touching the wood. "But it's huge."

By the time she finally reached the inevitable conclusion—It's bigger on the inside!—his patience was wearing thin. It had been a year since he'd really travelled, and that urge to go someplace new was finally returning.

She walked slowly up the ramp, and he shut the door behind her before jogging up to the console. "Right then, let's get going."

Martha circled the console, staring up at the coral struts that supported the cavernous ceiling. "But is there a crew, like a navigator and stuff? Where is everyone?"

Even with another person in the room, the TARDIS felt empty without Rose beside him. "Just me."

"All on your own?"

Something in Martha's voice made the Doctor look up at her, and he flinched from the sympathy in her eyes.

She nodded towards his left hand. "Only, I couldn't help but notice… you're wearing a ring."

The Doctor twisted his wedding band around his finger. "I had… I _have_ a wife. Rose… her name is Rose."

"How long were you together?" Martha asked.

The Doctor sniffed. "We travelled together for almost three years, and were married for a year before she… it was… she's not here anymore, that's the only thing you really need to know."

He could feel the sob building in the back of his throat, and he stared down at the console, determined not to cry in front of Martha on her very first day. It had been a year since he'd lost Rose, and the broken bond still throbbed in the back of his head, a never-ending ache he couldn't do anything about.

"That kiss really was just a genetic transfer, wasn't it?"

The Doctor's head snapped up. "What? Yes, of course! What did you… I told you!"

She held up her hands placatingly. "I get it now," she promised. "But I didn't know before. And I didn't notice your ring until just now."

The Doctor shoved his hands into his pockets. It was tempting to tell Martha he'd changed his mind, to ask her to leave. The last thing he needed to deal with was a companion pining over him.

But Donna's words had stuck with him. After leaving her on Christmas Day, he'd hidden himself away in the TARDIS for months. Finally though, the urge to travel had become too strong to resist, and he'd remembered what Donna had said.

" _I think you need someone to stop you."_

He looked at Martha, pinning her with his gaze. "Before I met Rose, sometimes I'd take people with me. Friends. That's all this is, Martha. If you're not on board with that, tell me now."

Martha's eyes widened and she shook her head frantically. "I get it, I promise," she assured him.

"Good." The Doctor spun away from her, eager to leave the revealing conversation behind. "Well, then," he said, shoving a switch into the right position, "Close down the gravitic anomaliser, fire up the helmic regulator. And finally, the hand brake. Ready?"

"No," she said breathlessly.

The Doctor grinned at her honestly, then flipped the brake and threw the dematerialisation lever "Off we go."

The TARDIS lurched into flight, and Martha grabbed onto the console. "Blimey, it's a bit bumpy."

He laughed and held out his hand. "Welcome aboard, Miss Jones." Having a companion again was a good idea.

Martha shook his hand. "It's my pleasure, Mr. Smith."

oOoOo

"And then he looked up at the sky, my hand held in his, and he said, 'And it is going to be… fantastic.'"

Rose closed the handmade picture book she'd given Tony last year for Christmas and smiled down at her little brother. "Did that really happen, Rosie?" The little boy's blue eyes glowed with excitement. "Did the Doctor really fight an alien with swords?"

"Just like in the book," she promised him. "He won a sword fight against the bad alien, and they flew away and never came back."

Well, so she'd edited out a few details from the story to make it suitable for a four-year-old. But really, it was true that the Sycorax had never returned to Earth. Tony didn't need to know that was because Harriet Jones had ordered their ship to be blown out of the sky.

"An' then you got in the TARDIS and flew through time and space and trouble was just the bits in between!" Tony crowed gleefully.

Rose laughed. "That's right."

"Tell me again about the planet with the giant flying dinosaurs!" Tony demanded.

A lump rose up in Rose's throat. Like every little boy, Tony loved dinosaurs. But that planet meant more to Rose, because that was where the Doctor had asked her to share a bond with him.

She shook her head. "I'll tell you tomorrow. Right now, it's time for little boys to be in bed." Tony opened his mouth, and Rose raised an eyebrow. "The faster you fall asleep, the faster it'll be Christmas," she told him, repeating what Mum had told her when she was Tony's age.

Tony's eyes widened and he immediately lay down and pulled the covers up to his chin. "I've been a good boy for Santa," he confided. "I didn't even snitch a biscuit from the table earlier, even though Mummy wasn't looking."

Rose hid a smile at his earnest declaration. "Are you hoping for an extra-special present?"

He nodded furiously. "I asked for him to bring the Doctor." He screwed his eyes shut. "Night, Rosie."

Rose was thankful Tony had closed his eyes before he could see the tears well up in hers. "Night, Tony," she managed to say, then she left the room as quickly as possible.

Out in the hallway, she pressed her back to the wall and waited for the ache in her heart to ease. Of course Tony had asked Santa to bring the Doctor. He'd been enchanted with Rose's stories of her brave alien husband for over a year.

Rose sighed and rubbed her temples. The agony of the broken bond had faded to a dull ache years ago, but every once in a while, when the memories were stirred up, it came back.

Footsteps on the stairs warned her that someone was coming. _Mum, probably._ Not wanting to explain why she'd been crying, Rose turned and walked swiftly towards the stairs on the other end of the hallway.

Most of the bedrooms were on the first floor, but Rose had turned a large, open, garret room into her private sanctuary. The huge French doors under the eaves of the building opened out onto a balcony, and she'd spent several sleepless nights sitting out there, watching the stars.

The starlight beckoned to her tonight, winking at her through the clouds that were rolling in. She wrapped herself in a warm blanket and opened the glass door, shivering when the wind swirled around her.

Rose rubbed her finger over her wedding band. "Where are you, love?" she murmured.

It had been years since Roes had believed in Santa Claus, but Tony's confident belief that the Doctor would be here tomorrow stuck with her. And really, she'd seen stranger things than a man who travelled around the world delivering toys to every single child.

"Please," she whispered to the stars. "I don't want anything else. Just bring him back to me."

The stars sparkled, and for a long moment, it felt like the world was holding its breath. Then, to Rose's amazement, it started to snow.

She held out her hand and watched the tiny crystalline snowflakes melt into her warm skin. Christmas magic seemed to be in the air.

oOoOo

Martha sighed as she followed the Doctor from the ferry back to the TARDIS. The skyline of Old New York was behind them, with the Empire State Building the tallest building of all. A month of travelling with the Doctor had shown her incredible things—the past, the future, far-off places…

But more than anything, it had shown her how much he still missed Rose.

And after last night, watching him offer himself up to the Daleks not once but twice, Martha had to wonder how much longer he would survive without her. He certainly didn't want to, that much she knew.

"Meant to say, I'm sorry," Martha ventured as they approached the TARDIS.

The Doctor looked back at her as he unlocked the door. "What for?"

She shrugged. "Just because that Dalek got away. I know what that means to you." She'd pieced together enough from his angry ranting to know the Daleks had a part in whatever had taken Rose from him. "Think you'll ever see it again?"

The Doctor smiled bitterly. "Oh, yes. One day."

Martha took a deep breath as she followed him into the TARDIS. All his manic energy was gone, and his eyes were shuttered as he slowly moved around the console, adjusting the dials.

"Can I ask a question?"

He looked up at her, a wry smile on his face. "Martha, in all my years travelling with humans, I've learned it's impossible for you to _not_ ask questions."

She shook her head. "Right, but I mean… Like, a personal question."

Caution flickered in his eyes, but he nodded. "I reserve the right not to answer though," he warned.

The arms crossed over his chest weren't encouraging, but Martha refused to back down. He needed help, even if he didn't want to admit it. And she had a feeling there was only one cure for his depression.

"Have you looked for a way to bring Rose home?"

The Doctor stumbled back, accidentally shifting the dematerialisation lever in the process. "Of course I have!" he said as the time rotor slowly moved, taking the ship into the Vortex. "I spent six months trying to find a way to bring her home. It isn't possible."

Martha tilted her head. "You're brilliant though," she persisted. "Surely there's some kind of way…"

The Doctor shoved his hand through his hair. Martha's words brought back all the inadequacy he'd felt when said goodbye to Rose on Bad Wolf Bay. She'd expected him to come take her home, and he'd let her down.

He took a breath. "Rose is trapped in a parallel world," he explained. "There are billions of worlds out there, with other versions of Martha maybe leading slightly different lives." He looked at her soberly. "Travel between parallel universes is impossible, or should be. Too much going back and forth and you fracture the walls of reality."

"So you're saying you could bring Rose home, but…"

"But two worlds would collapse in the process," he finished.

"Blimey." Martha blew out a breath.

Despite himself, the Doctor laughed. "Exactly."

The TARDIS shifted fully into the Vortex, and the time rotor stopped moving. In the sudden stillness of the console room, the Doctor heard a distinct, and yet impossible, sound.

There was something tapping on the roof of the TARDIS.

"What is that?" Martha whispered.

The Doctor cocked his head, trying to listen. Over the hum of the TARDIS, he could hear a musical jingle, almost like… _Sleigh bells?_

"We're in the Vortex," he told Martha quietly. "There's nothing out there. There can't be."

Two sharp raps at the door immediately followed his words.

"Then what's that?" Martha asked.

The Doctor stared at the door for a long moment before walking slowly down the ramp. He was one hundred percent positive that they were in the Vortex. It felt different here than anywhere else in the universe. And it shouldn't be possible for anyone to knock on their door.

Well, there were creatures that lived in the Vortex, but they weren't really the type to knock. They were more likely to chew their way through hull casings and come in uninvited.

The mysterious person knocked three more times, and then, to the Doctor's astonishment, a voice called out to him. "Open the door, Doctor. I have a present for you." Despite himself, the Doctor's curiosity got the better of him and he threw the door open.

Whatever he'd expected to find on the other side, it was not a floating sleigh pulled by eight tiny reindeer. The man sitting in the sleigh was unmistakable, from the tip of his fur-trimmed red hat to the toes of his black polished boots.

"What?" the Doctor gasped.

"Santa?" Martha exclaimed.

Santa Claus tapped his nose and winked at them. "Well, there you are, Doctor! I was starting to think you didn't want the present I have for you."

The Doctor leaned against the railing. "What present would that be?"

Santa hopped out of his sleigh into the TARDIS, his movements as lively and quick as his legend proclaimed. He held a piece of vellum in his hand, and the Doctor could just make out the word, "Nice," written across the top of the list in flowing script.

Santa perched a pair of wire-rimmed glasses on his nose. "I've been getting letters from a very eager boy named Tony Tyler. It seems he wants to meet you for Christmas."

The Doctor's hands shook. "Tyler…?"

Santa's eyes twinkled at him over his glasses. "Tyler," he confirmed. "Your brother-in-law."

The Doctor sagged as a fear he had never acknowledged was banished. Rose hadn't been pregnant. There'd been something in her denial that had made him wonder—her hesitation, maybe? The little laugh as she said no? But now he knew it really had been Jackie.

Then the rest of what Santa had said sank in. "Rose's little brother asked to meet me for Christmas?"

Santa rolled his list back up and returned it to a pocket in the lining of his cloak. "Oh yes, he's been most insistent. And just tonight, his sister put in a request of her own."

"Hang on." Martha spoke up when the Doctor tried to process this. "How do you know all of this?" she demanded. "And how can you possibly be able to take the Doctor to his wife? At least, I assume that's what you're offering."

"Ho, ho, ho!" Santa chuckled, and while his belly didn't shake like a bowl full of jelly, the sound did warm the entire room. "Martha Jones. Ever the sceptic, even when you were a child. Surely a month of travelling with the Doctor has taught you that there are some things outside your scope of understanding?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Martha's right though. Rose is trapped in a parallel world. There's no way to bring her home or go to visit her."

He narrowed his eyes, and Santa rocked back on his heels as if to say, "Go on."

"But if that's true, how do you know Tony? How did his Christmas wish reach you?"

"And now you're finally asking the right questions." Santa beamed at them, then moved past the Doctor to the TARDIS console. "Time Lords were not the only pan-dimensional beings in the universe, Doctor," he said as he pulled something out of his bag. He bent over the navigation panel of the console. "How else do you think I could get to every single house on Earth and leave toys for the children on one night?"

The Doctor tugged at his ear. "Wellllll…"

Santa looked back at him over his shoulder. "You thought I was just a story. I'm not, though, as you can see."

"I'm still not certain I didn't actually get shot by that Dalek, actually," the Doctor retorted.

The TARDIS chimed, and the Doctor's eyes widened. Santa nodded and gestured for him to come forward. "Your ship knows who I am, Doctor. And she's let me give her a tiny modification."

He pointed at a new button on the console. "One press of that button, and the parallel universes will be open to you." He winked at him. "I took the liberty of setting it to sync with one particular universe. I hope you don't mind."

oOoOo

The Doctor and Martha stared at each other for several moments after Santa left. "Well, are you going to push it?" Martha finally asked, pointing to the red button on the console that the jolly old elf had said would take them through the Void.

The Doctor stared at it. "Do you think I should?"

Martha rolled her eyes. "I thought you were looking for a way to find Rose," she pointed out.

"I was! I am," he corrected. "But… this seems a bit too good to be true, doesn't it?"

Martha shrugged. "I think you need to try at least," she told him. "What if it works and you wait weeks to try it? How would you explain those weeks to Rose?"

The Doctor swallowed hard. Martha was right. He just didn't know how to handle having his dreams literally handed to him.

He reached for the button, then pulled back. "I'm taking you home first," he said decisively. Martha opened her mouth, but he shook his head quickly. "Travel through the Void is dangerous, and we don't even know if this button will work. What if it's a trap? Like the portkey in Harry Potter."

"Then you shouldn't go alone," Martha argued.

But the Doctor refused to budge, and twenty minutes later, he was dropping Martha off in London with a promise to pick her back up after he'd found Rose.

Alone in the console room, he shoved aside the fears that still lurked in his mind. Whether it worked or not, he had to try.

As soon as he pushed the button, he knew it had worked. The TARDIS lurched and shrieked unhappily as she moved out of the Vortex and into the Void. For half a moment, the Doctor worried that the Void itself would kill her, as it had nearly done the last time they'd taken this trip.

But Santa had been true to his word, and the stabilisers he'd added soon kicked in. The Doctor laughed and grabbed onto the console. It was Christmas, and he was finally going to see Rose again.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** I had this almost ready to go on Christmas Day, and then my cat got seriously ill. I spent 36 hours focused solely on nursing her back to health. She's doing much better, so I was able to finish it today. I'll hopefully be updating my other holiday story today or tomorrow as well.

Rose watched the Christmas snow fall for a few minutes, then pulled on a warm coat and snuck downstairs. This was a moment she wanted all for herself, without her little brother's company or her mum's commentary.

Outside, the first dusting of snow just covered the walk. Her boot melted through it instantly, leaving a dark footprint behind.

She held out her hand, and a snowflake melted into her black leather glove. On an impulse, she tilted her head back and caught one on her tongue, just like she'd done when she was younger.

She hummed happily. "Still tastes like icing sugar."

Then she pulled her scarf up to keep out the cold and stepped off the walkway. The whispering sound of her boots stepping through the fresh snow only highlighted the peace that had settled over the estate.

Like everything, snow brought back memories of the Doctor. Those were some of those non-trouble parts she loved so much about her life with him. Days spent traipsing through quaint villages with snow-covered streets. Snowball fights in a park, when she'd enlisted an army of children to ambush him. Ice skating on a frozen pond.

Rose burrowed her cold nose in a fold of her scarf, then laughed when that brought up the memory of the ridiculously long scarf she'd found in the wardrobe room. The Doctor had rolled his eyes and muttered something about his old fashion sense when she walked into the console room with it looped around her neck three times. But he hadn't complained when she used it to pull him into a kiss.

Lost in her memories, Rose didn't notice the warmth spreading over her chest until it was almost uncomfortably hot. "What…?" She fumbled with her zipper and reached under her jumper to pull out her TARDIS key.

Her heart started racing when she saw the way the key was glowing. She'd seen a TARDIS key glow like that once before, and the Doctor had said it was because it was trying to tell him it was still connected to the ship.

"Oh my God." She clutched the key tight and turned in a slow circle. "Please, please, please…"

She hadn't felt a thing from the key in years. If it was connected to the TARDIS now, then maybe that meant the Doctor was in this universe.

The wind picked up around her, but Rose refused to believe it was anything other than the snowstorm until she could see the outline of the TARDIS forming. Her hands started shaking when she could see the light on top of the ship flashing at her and feel the warm hum in her mind.

The door flew open as soon as the ship landed, and Rose watched in shock as the Doctor rushed out. They stared at each other for a long moment, then somehow, they were in each other's arms.

The Doctor cradled Rose's face between his hands, thumbs brushing over her cheekbones. _Rose!_ He reached out for her, and there she was, her mind just as beautiful and vibrant as it had been that night so long ago when they'd bonded.

Rose gasped, then her hands curled around his lapels and tugged him down for a kiss. _Thought I'd never see you again,_ she said as she carded her fingers through his hair. _I missed you so much._

 _I know, love. I know._ The Doctor snagged her bottom lip between his teeth and nipped gently, then swept his tongue into her mouth when she parted her lips in surprise. _But I'm here now and I'm never letting you go again._

She sighed, then melted into his kiss. The Doctor pulled her close, not wanting there to be even an inch separating them after so long spent apart.

The wind blew snow around them. Even through the passion and joy of their reunion, the Doctor could feel Rose shiver. "You're freezing," he mumbled between kisses. "Let's go inside."

Rose hummed her approval and slowly pulled out of the kiss. But when the Doctor tried to turn towards the TARDIS, she shook her head. "Come with me," she whispered, walking towards the house with his hand in hers.

The Doctor dragged his feet a bit. "But our room is in the TARDIS," he protested.

The impish humour he could feel over the bond intrigued him, and he waited for Rose's response. "Indulge me," she said, and the Doctor's resistance melted away.

"Lead the way."

She rewarded him with a brilliant smile, and they raced across the lawn hand-in-hand. When they reached the back door, Rose held her finger to her lips. "I think everyone is asleep," she whispered. "They should be, anyway. But just in case…"

The Doctor leaned down so he could whisper in her ear. "Rose Tyler, are you trying to sneak me into your mum's home?"

She shivered when his breath hit her neck, and he couldn't resist nuzzling into the sensitive spot. When she sighed his name, he nudged her scarf aside with his nose and kissed her neck.

Rose hummed her approval, then stepped away from him. "Come on, inside."

With one last caress over their bond, the Doctor pulled back and gestured for Rose to open the door. He stifled a chuckle when she crept stealthily into the kitchen, looking around to make sure they were alone.

"Ooh, biscuits," the Doctor said, spying the plate that must have been left out for Santa. He snagged one on the way by and munched on it as they started up the back staircase. Rose rolled her eyes at him, and her indulgent affection warmed him.

 _Just like a little kid,_ she told him as they reached the first floor landing.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, then let her see a few of his plans for their reunion. Rose's breathing shallowed, and she pressed a hand to her heart.

 _Or not,_ she agreed shakily. _Come on. We're almost there, then you can show me what else you've been planning._

They crept up another two flights of stairs, then Rose took his hand again and backed up, leading him to one of the two doors. The Doctor put his hands on her hips as she leaned back against the door and twisted a strand of hair around her finger.

"Never brought a bloke up here before." She bit her lip and looked down—if the Doctor didn't know better, he would have thought she was genuinely nervous.

He huffed softly and stepped closer. "I'll try to make it worth the risk," he whispered against her lips.

He felt Rose's lips curve up into a smile, then she turned the handle and they went inside.

oOoOo

Later, Rose relished the comforting weight of the Doctor's arm around her waist as she lay curled against his side. After five years without, she didn't think she would ever get enough of his touch.

The hand that had been running absently up and down her back paused. "It's been five years for you?"

Rose nodded, and his guilt and heartbreak made her throat tight. She swallowed, then quickly redirected the conversation.

"That's not important though," she said. "How did you get here? I thought travel between parallel universes was impossible."

The Doctor pressed a kiss to her temple before answering. "I might have had some help with that, actually," he admitted. "It turns out, I'm not the only pan-dimensional being left in the universe."

Rose propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at him, just able to see his face in the moonlight. "You aren't?"

"Nope." The Doctor mirrored her position, and the duvet slid down a few inches. "Martha and I were in the console room this morning when we heard a tapping on the roof."

Rose frowned, trying to picture the story he was painting. "You heard… On the TARDIS roof?"

"Yep! The tiny hoofbeats of eight miniature reindeer, as it turns out."

"You have got to be kidding me," Rose breathed.

The Doctor giggled and shook his head. "Even I couldn't make up a story this unbelievable," he assured her. "I opened the door, and Santa was there, in his sleigh, floating in the middle of the Vortex."

"Santa Claus. Father Christmas. Bearded fellow dressed in red velvet."

The Doctor nodded. "The very one. He'd come to get me to fulfil Tony's Christmas wish."

Rose blinked, trying to stop the sudden, unexpected tears. "Not just Tony's," she murmured.

The Doctor took her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "Anyway!" he said. "It turns out Santa is able to travel between dimensions. That's how he gets all the toys delivered every year."

"So Santa in this universe is the same as Santa in our universe, and he heard our Christmas wish and decided to make it possible?" Rose summarised.

"Yep! Pretty much."

Rose took a moment to process that. It was mental, but didn't that describe their whole life? Looking up at her husband, she decided there were better ways to spend the night than trying to understand trans-dimensional physics.

She rested her hand on the Doctor's hip and licked her lips. "You know, Doctor, I hear that Santa won't come if we don't go to bed."

The Doctor blinked. "I just told you. He already came."

Rose shook her head and waited for him to catch on to her not-so-subtle innuendo. A moment later, amusement and approval sparked over their bond, and he slung a leg over hers and rolled them over.

He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers, then whispered, "Well in that case, Rose Tyler, let's go to bed."

oOoOo

It took Rose a moment when she woke up the next morning to realise what was different. Then she felt the lean body wrapped around hers, and more importantly, the Doctor holding her close over the bond.

He pressed a kiss to her neck. "Happy Christmas, love," he murmured against her skin.

Rose tilted her head to give him more access. "Happy Christmas, Doctor."

The words sparked a memory in Rose's mind, and she sat up abruptly, elbowing the Doctor in the ribs in the process. "It's Christmas!"

"Yes, I know," he groaned, rubbing at his side. "And if that's how you're going to react every Christmas, we might never land on Christmas again."

Rose shook her head impatiently. "It's _Christmas morning_ ," she emphasised. "Presents."

He scratched at his sideburn. "Ah, I don't have anything for you… though I'm sure I could find something in the TARDIS…"

Rose rolled her eyes. "No, you plum. _You_ are the present."

She felt the moment it clicked. "That's right. Santa said Tony had been asking to meet me."

Rose listened carefully. "I don't think he's up yet, which is a Christmas miracle all of its own." Her mind whirled, trying to think of the best way to spring the Christmas surprise on her little brother. "Come on. I have an idea."

They dressed hurriedly, Rose in flannel pyjamas and the Doctor in his suit.

"You do an awful lot of sneaking," the Doctor commented in a stage whisper as they went back downstairs.

Rose looked over her shoulder at him. "Part of living with a very curious younger sibling," she explained. "Now, shush! We're almost there."

She led the Doctor into the lounge, which was still half in shadow as the winter sun hadn't even risen yet. "And now we wait," she said.

The Doctor sat down in the corner of the couch and pulled Rose into his lap. "I missed this," he said as she settled into his arms. "Holding you, feeling you breathe, hearing your heartbeat."

Rose massaged his temples, and the Doctor felt his tension melt away. "I did too," she agreed. "But that's all over now."

Before the Doctor could voice his agreement, or kiss her, they heard a door bang against the wall upstairs, then what sounded like a herd of elephants thundering down the hallway. He could only assume Rose's little brother was awake.

"Rose! Rose!" a young boy shouted. "It's Christmas, and it snowed!"

The footsteps moved away from them, and Rose said, "He's running up the stairs to my room."

Another door opened, and a more familiar voice joined the cacophony. "Tony Tyler, what have I told you about running inside?"

The answer was faint, but chipper. "Happy Christmas, Mummy!"

Jackie's sigh was audible even in the lounge, and the Doctor pressed his lips to Rose's shoulder to suppress his laughter.

"Come on, Jacks, we might as well open presents." A light flicked on. "After all, it is Christmas."

"Mummy, Rose isn't in her room."

Rose slid out of the Doctor's lap and reached over the arm of the couch for something on the end table. "I'm already downstairs, Tony. I was just making sure Santa brought all the presents you asked for." Then she shot the Doctor a wicked smile and put a big red bow on his head.

The Doctor's squawk of surprise was drowned out by Tony's childish shout of delight. Footsteps echoed back down the stairs, and the Doctor felt the first glimmer of trepidation—how could he possibly live up to whatever image Tony had of him?

"Tony, stop running!"

A tiny red-headed boy skidded into the lounge on his stocking feet, heedless of his mother's command. His gaze landed on the tree first, then when Rose cleared her throat, he looked around the room.

Tony's eyes widened when he spotted the Doctor sitting on the couch. "Are you him?" he whispered, and the hope in his voice eased all the Doctor's worries.

He swallowed, then nodded and opened his arms as the little boy hurtled across the room and leapt into his lap. "I knew it would work, I knew Santa could bring you!" he mumbled into the Doctor's chest. "Rose said there wasn't any way for you to get here, but Santa can do everything."

Jackie and Pete appeared, then froze in the doorway. "How…?" Jackie said, for once unable to say anything else.

Rose nudged him when she picked up on that thought, and he smiled unrepentantly at her.

Tony squirmed until he was sitting properly in the Doctor's lap. "Look, Mummy! I asked Santa to bring the Doctor for Christmas, and he did!"

"Yes, he did," the Doctor agreed.

Jackie narrowed her eyes at him, and he knew she was about to tell him off for encouraging Tony's belief that Santa could do something so magical.

He shook his head quickly. "Strange as it sounds, Jackie, that is exactly what happened. He flew right up to the TARDIS in his sleigh and gave me a button that would let us travel between universes."

Jackie looked at him, then at Rose, and her shoulders slumped slightly. Pete wrapped an arm around her waist, and she smiled at them.

"This is the second Christmas party you've crashed, you know."

The Doctor frowned at her for a moment, trying to understand why she seemed so sad. "Yesssss…" he said slowly. "But it won't be the last." He'd mentioned that, hadn't he? "This was not just a one-time trip," he continued. "The TARDIS will need time to recover between trips… say, about a year. So, unless you object, Jackie, I think Rose and I will visit every year for Christmas."

Jackie stood stock-still for a moment, then she let out a shriek the Doctor hoped never to hear again. She ran across the room and pulled him and Rose both to their feet, wrapping her arms around them.

"I still don't understand that life of yours," she said as she pulled back after a few seconds. "But if it means we can still see Rose, I don't care. Just try not to get in too much trouble."

"It's the best life!" Tony protested. "Trouble is just the bits in between."

The Doctor looked over at Rose, his eyebrow arched. Rose smiled and put her arm around his waist. "I told him all of our stories. His favourite is the Sycorax, because you used a sword, but I think this is the one I'm going to love most of all."

"Tony, why don't you see what else Santa brought you," Pete suggested. Tony darted around the Doctor and Rose and ran to the tree.

The Doctor ignored the gift unwrapping happening a few feet away. He had already been given the best gift possible. He turned and pulled Rose close, resting his hands on her hips. Her head tipped back slightly, and he couldn't resist the invitation.

 _The best story of all,_ he agreed as they kissed. _With the best possible ending._

Somewhere in the universes, he knew a jolly old man was chuckling as he flew over the snow-covered world. And even though he knew it was just his imagination, he thought he could hear the familiar words echoing in the air.

" _Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night."_


End file.
